From U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,364 B1, a road finishing machine with a thermal imaging camera is known. The thermal imaging camera is directed onto a newly laid asphalt layer behind the screed. The thermal imaging camera is coupled to a control unit which combines the thermographic data of the thermal imaging camera with positional data. The georeferenced data may be stored by the control unit and optionally sent to other road finishing vehicles or compacting vehicles via a telematic unit, on the basis of which the vehicles may adjust their respective paving parameters.
DE 20 2009 016 129 U1 discloses a device for measuring the temperature of the surface of hot asphalt. The device comprises a housing in which an infrared temperature sensing head is movably disposed. The latter is moved back and forth by means of a motor. This requires a complex bearing that must be lubricated regularly.
From DE 10 2008 058 481 A1, an asphalting system and method are known for setting up a plan for asphalting a working area based on a position temperature model. Here, a road finishing machine with a temperature sensor for detecting temperature data of a pavement layer and with a receiver for detecting positional data is disclosed. The temperature sensor is formed e.g., by an infrared camera. Preferably, the temperature sensor is fixed to the screed of the road finishing machine. Furthermore, the road finishing machine comprises an indicator on which the temperature data and the positional data may be indicated to the operator of the road finishing machine. The temperature data and the positional data may be forwarded to following compacting vehicles via a transmitter, so that said vehicles correspondingly adjust their compacting parameters. To detect the temperature data and the machine positional data, an unmanned drone could be employed according to a specific embodiment which drives over the asphalt layer or in the proximity of said asphalt layer.
In the respective optical detection systems of U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,364 B1 and DE 10 2008 058 481 A1, the devices provided for detecting the temperature data and positional data are mounted on the road finishing machine separately and are functionally connected to each other via a respective control unit. Cabling of said components among each other is time-consuming and complicated and may only be performed by an expert with special prior knowledge. Furthermore, the detection units for positional and temperature data disposed separately on the road finishing machine are unprotected which is why they are subject to increased wear due to the rough ambient conditions on site. In any way, these systems are deemed to be difficult to retrofit, where in particular the individual separated attachment, alignment and connection of the detection units for temperature and positional data may result in complications and extended assembly times. Quite often, the expensive detection units are damaged during installation, or they are not perfectly fixed.